ST. LOUIS, MO. – March 11, 2010 — Growers wanting to enroll for the Conservation Stewardship Program should do so now to take advantage of many new stewardship options available for payments as part of the published guidelines from USDA-NRCS.

One of the most notable dimensions is the qualification of AGROTAIN urease inhibitors for payments, as part of an approved plan for nitrogen management.

“Last fall, farmers battled nature to get their crops out of the field. During that time a new program that is part of the Farm Bill was announced. We don’t want farmers to miss the opportunity to receive the incentives for that reason,” states Mike Stegmann, President of AGROTAIN International. “This program recognizes the potential of AGROTAIN products to improve nitrogen efficiency and environmental quality. We appreciate the pioneering efforts in Missouri and Arkansas which included AGROTAIN for these payments in the past. Now national attention is focused on the benefits of our technology that farmers can enjoy through improved nitrogen efficiency. Best of all, the program can make AGROTAIN available at virtually no cost to the farmer.”

The low cost of AGROTAIN per acre makes it possible for growers in many areas to get the entire cost of the product paid for through the program payments. The payments reward growers for using conservation practices, such as the use of AGROTAIN nitrogen stabilizers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to reduce the environmental impact of farming operations. Because AGROTAIN can be added at the time of fertilizer blending and the fertilizer applied just the same as before, no additional equipment or change in cultural practice is required for AGROTAIN. But it is not quite as simple as just purchasing AGROTAIN.

To qualify, farmers need to work with their local NRCS office using the conservation management calculator to develop and submit a comprehensive stewardship plan. This plan may include a number of actions the grower must take, not just a single one. Once the plan is approved, then farmers can qualify to receive payments.

Growers are urged to contact their local NRCS office immediately to initiate their plan before planting season.

AGROTAIN International’s products are currently licensed and sold through Agriculture, Turf & Ornamental or Industrial partners in more than 74 countries. AGROTAIN International is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.